If you started out on a 600cc+ do you regret it now?

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Patience and respect is something that I basically inherited after almost 15yrs of martial arts. I've always eased into things and fully grasped the concept before trying new things. I know that I would respect even a 1k+, it's just when you have "OMG get a fu@king 250 to start on" basically shoved down your face, it almost feels like your failing the people who said it. I mean it's not the hassle of buying a 250, riding then reselling... it's the fact I believe that I my fun factor would be extremely limited after getting used to the bike. Like everyone else has said if you ride like a moron you're going to get injured or even die regardless of engine size.

I started on a GSXR 750 years ago. Never had any problems. Just picked up a 600 2 weeks ago. Loving it. Don't think I would be happy with a 250. But to each their own.

I mean, I had a blast riding the ninja 250 at the MSF in the parking lot. Basically power limited to the space I was given. If I was going for commuting it would definitely be a 250, but this will be my weekend toy.

I started on a stretched R1 as my first bike....lowsided it 3 months later after I got it...couldn't afford another R1 so I went with a R6. Sticking to the Yamahas. I don't regret starting on a 1 either....

R6 is alot slower in the straights, but its still plenty quick for cornering.

I'm not saying you specifically, or anyone else really, but when someone posts up that they are looking for a first bike and asks advice on the size of the bike there are a LOT of replies saying 250. The rest of them are people saying they started on a 600 and did fine but with the standard disclaimers.

I'm not saying you specifically, or anyone else really, but when someone posts up that they are looking for a first bike and asks advice on the size of the bike there are a LOT of replies saying 250. The rest of them are people saying they started on a 600 and did fine but with the standard disclaimers.

+1. to me it all depends on your riding skill and your level headedness. I honestly believe you could start out on a 200whp+ busa/R1/etc and be just fine as long as you respected the machine your is strapped too.

I've ridden for about a year now. Started out on a 600. All other riding other than that was several occasions on 125cc dirt bikes at my grandpa's house in Cali. I do not regret starting on a 600 as my first street bike, but I feel that I had a very level head about it all. I took MSF and never left my neighborhood (Rodeo Palms on 288) for the first 300 miles or so.
Since then, I have ridden about 6000 miles and done one noob TD. I think doing the TD is what improved my riding more than anything else...hands down.
Would I be a better rider had I started out on a 250 or 500, the world will never know.

When I bought my first bike I thought along time about buying a small displacement scoot.
I realized that, for me, I would out grow it in probably less than a year and then want something bigger.
So, I bought a big bike (850 cc) and told myself that it won't go any faster than I make it go. I took it easy, realizing I didn't know what I was doing, I rode only around the local area. After a while I slowly developed enough skill
to be able to branch out to faster more congested roads until I felt like I knew what was up.
Then I crashed and knew I had more to learn. Took it easy for a while, then crashed again.
I still havent learned it all, at least I crash less often now.
Wear your gear, take it easy and remember the immortal words of Clint Eastwood, "A man's got to know his limitations".

__________________ Asphalt is for racing... dirt is for growing potatoes. - J. Diester
When seconds count... the police are only minutes away.
Grow up and be a productive member of society already.
Bevo- "I lack skillz"

When I bought my first bike I thought along time about buying a small displacement scoot.
I realized that, for me, I would out grow it in probably less than a year and then want something bigger.
So, I bought a big bike (850 cc) and told myself that it won't go any faster than I make it go. I took it easy, realizing I didn't know what I was doing, I rode only around the local area. After a while I slowly developed enough skill
to be able to branch out to faster more congested roads until I felt like I knew what was up.
Then I crashed and knew I had more to learn. Took it easy for a while, then crashed again.
I still havent learned it all, at least I crash less often now.
Wear your gear, take it easy and remember the immortal words of Clint Eastwood, "A man's got to know his limitations".

As the saying goes, "it's not if you crash, it's when you crash." I don't care if I'm just riding it around the block, my is going to be geared head to toe.

__________________ Asphalt is for racing... dirt is for growing potatoes. - J. Diester
When seconds count... the police are only minutes away.
Grow up and be a productive member of society already.
Bevo- "I lack skillz"

my sv650 is my first bike, and i have been on it since sept of last year. no problems so far.
i do want to ride a 250 to see what it's like, and i almost sold my bike so i could get an rs50. i will be taking my msf soon, and really hope that they have a ninja 250 i can ride. i want one of the new ones, but i would much rather have one of their 6's

Is it possible that the reason why you are getting 100% no regrets ... is because they are the 20% (yeah, pulled that one out of my a$$) that survived or are still riding ... the other 80% probably would still be riding if they had started on something smaller.

All i know, is that I started on a 250. Commuted for a year on it and now ride an SV650 as my commuter. I don't regret a thing. Bought it cheap will probably get most if not all of it back when I sell it. 60-70mpg and cost almost nothing to maintain ... it's a beginners dream.

__________________
Ben Franklin once told us that “The Constitution only gives people the right to pursue happiness. You have to catch it yourself.”
"Blessed are the young for they shall inherit the national debt" Herbert Hoover

My first bike was an 883 sportster. Put on 596 miles on it, learned how to ride a motorcycle on that. It was too heavy for my tastes and I sold it and got a 95 ninja. In hindsight, that 95 ninja, unbeknownst to me at the time was running on 3 cylinders which taught me great throttle control because I didn't want to bin it, I was purposely timid. Then I had the carbs cleaned and resynced and it was a different bike. I still practiced self control, never wheeling the thing at all, ever. Honed my skills and rode that for a year and a half. then I got my new 636 which I have now. I've only ridden a liter bike once, last year at the IMS, a 10r. I will move to a liter later this year, but I'm going to keep my 636 as a track only bike as I like it. The more comfortable I get on my 636 the better control I think I'll have with the liter because I know I've got something even more powerful. Because of my timid throttle experience on my first "real sportbike" (my 95) I think some of that throttle timidness still carries over, which is why I'm the slowpoke on the track! But that's why I'm comitted to doing more trackdays so I can get over some of those things that are standing in my way. I still consider myself learning but I do not consider myself a noob rider. I'd love a 250 or something smaller sized to refine some stuff without the fear of dropping my 636 which is why I was toying with the idea of getting a small mini bike or something like a 50 but with street tyres.

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Whorenet

i think theres about 137 mexicans left in mexico.....the rest of em are living in that house down the street

don't regret it, but I do think I would have learned more at a faster pace with a smaller bike, although I would have outgrown it fairly quickly. I did start on a katana 600 which is almost like a 250. Never took MSF a day in my life...haven't read twist of the wrist or whatever it is either. Just gotta learn the bike and how to operate efficiently and smoothly, while all the while keeping your safety in mind and in check.

Is it possible that the reason why you are getting 100% no regrets ... is because they are the 20% (yeah, pulled that one out of my a$$) that survived or are still riding ... the other 80% probably would still be riding if they had started on something smaller.

All i know, is that I started on a 250. Commuted for a year on it and now ride an SV650 as my commuter. I don't regret a thing. Bought it cheap will probably get most if not all of it back when I sell it. 60-70mpg and cost almost nothing to maintain ... it's a beginners dream.

I think everyone has no regrets about what size bike they started on becuase they have no regrets that they started riding on a BIKE. Everyone is just plain thankful to be riding!

My brother started out on a 600 and now that he wants to start riding again (it's been 4 years) he wants to buy my 250 off me when i decide to move up. Gas mileage and such.

About regretting starting on a bigger bike, one acquaintance i spoke to before I started riding told me 'you always see stories of people talking about going against many other peoples advice and starting on a 600cc or bigger bike and how much they loved it. what you don't see is the stories of people who started on a bike that was more than they could handle, cause most of them don't have a chance to get online and tell everyone their stories, they're dead or stuck up in a coma in some hospital'. That was one of the things that hit home for me and made me decide on taking a 250.

I'd suggest asking some people you know if they think you're responsible enough for a bigger bike, not just a best friend, maybe not even someone who supports you getting a bike. Somebody against the idea will probably be able to dig up more evidence from the past of when you've gotten carried away and it may make you mad, but is probably the advice you could take. If not to start on a smaller bike, then at least to be cautious and not repeat your old mistakes.

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I just got served a heaping helping of concrete... seconds please!
Edit: Thirds please!